Containers constructed from a single-sheet of material, such as corrugated cardboard, and folded into a box form for transporting food and other objects are well-known. Such boxes are commonly used for storing and transporting pizza.
One example of such a container is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,136. This container includes a rectangular bottom wall, a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls joined to respective opposite pairs of edges of the bottom wall, and a pair of top covers which are joined to the respective end walls. The side walls have angled edges on which the end walls are engaged in the assembled configuration of the container, such that the end walls diverge towards one another as same project upwardly. Further, the top covers are foldable downwardly from the end walls and define slots which cooperate with locking tabs provided on the respective side walls so as to maintain the container in a closed configuration. These slots are diamond-shaped so as to allow venting of the heat generated by the food product.
Another known container for transporting pizza is similar to the above container of the '136 patent, but instead provides circular cut-outs approximately mid-height along each of the angled end walls to allow venting.
While each of the above-described containers would appear to work reasonably well for their intended purpose, neither of these containers incorporates therein an easily manipulatable structure which allows easy opening of the container by the user or consumer.
The invention as described herein relates to a container or box for carrying, transporting or storing food, such as pizza or the like. The container is formed by folding a one-piece blank, and includes a finger grip arrangement adjacent one top edge thereof which allows easy-opening of the container.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with arrangements of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “rightwardly” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the container or blank and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.